Something a little different for this weeks band interview, it is literally a band, the Middleton Band is a brass band and I was asked by Pam Smith aka @sterlingsop for an interview, so I’m proud to bring you the Middleton Band for this weeks “Who’s the Band” so I hope you all enjoy the interview..
Q: Hi Pam, so how did you come upon the name of your band? Is it the first name you chose?
A: The band name is “Middleton Band” which is the area we are from in Manchester. Traditionally bands were called after the village or coal mine where they were based and we are no different. Most people have heard of the Brighouse and Rastrick brass band? Well that’s two villages in Yorkshire and the band drew members from both, hence the name.
Q: Which instrument do you play in the band?
A: I currently play tuned percussion (timpani, cymbals, xylophone, tubular bells, glockenspiel etc) but until this time last year I was the principal cornet player. I got ill and haven’t had the strength in my stomach muscles to blow properly so for now I’m hitting thing with sticks instead!
Q: What influenced you to be a member of a brass band?
A: My music teacher at primary school. He came into the classroom one day and said “who wants to be in the band?”. I put my hand up and tried to blow the cornet, which I managed ok first time. Nearly 33 years later – here am I still playing!!
Q: How long have you known each other? Where did you first meet up?
A: I joined this band back in 2004, but the band has been in existence since the 1880’s. I’m sure the chairman of the band was around then too….!
Q: How long have you band been performing/producing music?
A: I write and arrange music as well as play my instruments. I’ve been playing for 33 years or so and writing/arranging for probably about 20 years.
Q: Are you signed to a record label (Indie or major)?
A: No but I have recorded a CD. I played a solo too – scary moments!
Q: Where can people find your music? Do you have an official website?
A: You can visit the band site at www.middletonband.co.uk.
Q: Have your ever performed live? If so where and to how many?
A: Gosh – every performance is live for us!! We do about 12 concerts and functions each year and we take part in a several competitions throughout the year too. Our next contest is on 27th February in Blackpool where if we come in the top 2 we will qualify for the national finals in September.
Q: Who writes/produces the music and/or lyrics to your tracks?
A: All sorts of people – there are composers who write specifically for brass bands and there are arrangers who rewrite songs, film music, musicals and classical stuff from other sources too. I have done quite a bit for my own band and for our youth band too.
Q: How would you describe your music-making process?
A: Rehearsal rehearsal rehearsal rehearsal….!!!
Q: What has been your biggest challenge as a band? Have you been able to overcome that challenge? If so, how?
A: The biggest challenge, as ever, is keeping all the members happy and motivated to go on especially if we do badly in a contest. There are 25 brass players plus 2 percussionists and the conductor so to keep all those people happy, engaged, involved and attending can sometimes be a big challenge. I think it’s because we are all musicians, and musicians like artists can be temperamental and musical differences are not unknown.
Q: What’s your ultimate direction for your band? Are you seeking fame and fortune?
A: The brass bands of the UK are graded into “sections”, similar to a soccer league and we are currently graded as Second Section (the top flight bands like Brighouse & Rastrick, and Black Dyke etc are “Championship Section”). We have worked ourselves up from the Fourth Section in the last 10 years or so and I think we are about as high as we can get with the players we have at the moment. The only way we would now move up the sections is to replace certain weaker players with better ones but we are a community band and we don’t do that sort of thing. We have young and old players, good, extremely good and some poor players and we all work as a team. So the short answer to the question, we just want to continue in the same line we are doing and we are happy with reasonable results in contests. We put on excellent concerts and the band recently recorded a Christmas CD to go with the one I played on a couple of years ago (I was ill and couldn’t take part those days). We have had some decent airplay on the radio with some of the Christmas tracks too which is very gratifying. So we are reasonably happy with where we are, and we *are* famous…..well locally we are anyway!
Q: What advice do you have for people who want to form their own brass bands?
A: Make sure you have a dedicated hardcore of members that can cover the basic parts (cornet, horn, euphonium, trombone, bass) so that you can build it up from there. Ask for advice from other bands, and work on having as varied a repertoire as you can. The audience have got wide tastes and so should the band
Q: How can fans-to-be gain access to your music? Do you have a website with sample songs or a demo CD?
A: Our website www.middletonband.co.uk has got some links but I don’t think there are music samples.
Q: Is there anyone you’d like to acknowledge for offering financial or emotional support?
A: As ever, my parents because without their support when I was a child I wouldn’t be still playing as an adult now. My Dad especially who taxied me and my friends from rehearsal to concert to party to function to rehearsal for a number of years. Without that I think there were too many points where it would have been easier to just give up. I’m so glad I didn’t – I met my husband in a band, and our two children now play too.
Q: Any last words?
A: Being in a brass band isn’t so much a hobby as a way of life. Two rehearsals each week with concerts or contests most weekends (especially in the summer) with a group of people who are good friends is something that has to be experienced to be believed. You get extremely close to people and there is magic in making something as beautiful as music with those that you love. Some people describe playing in a brass band as a disease – and I’m glad to say it’s a disease with no known cure!
Karen Woodham is the founder and owner of the Blazing Minds. She is also a Cinema reviewer and works with RealD 3D reviewing the latest 3D releases and IMAX, she has also had several articles published in various publications including the first edition of SFW Magazine. In 2015 she became an Award Winning Blogger and also has her website listed as one of the UK’s Top 10 Film Blogs.
